Woven wire intraluminal device

Abstract

An intraluminal device including an elongated structure formed of a plurality of wires may be provided. The intraluminal device may include a plurality of sets of looped wires longitudinally located at an intermediate area of the elongated structure. The sets of looped wires may be spaced circumferentially about the elongated structure and may be configured to cooperate with each other to form a plurality of clot entry openings. The intraluminal device may also include at least one grouping of woven wires that may be longitudinally located adjacent to the intermediate area and may be configured such that when an opening force is exerted on the elongated structure, the at least one grouping of woven wires may provide structural support to hold open first interstices between the plurality of sets of looped wires.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An intraluminal device comprising:
 an elongated structure formed of a plurality of wires, the elongated structure including a plurality of strands that are intertwined with each other to create a plurality of loosely coupled junctions, each strand comprising a set of two or more wires of the plurality of wires that are looped together, the elongated structure having a proximal end, a distal end opposite from the proximal end, and an intermediate portion extending between the proximal and distal ends; 
 a clot capturing area longitudinally located within the intermediate portion of the elongated structure, wherein the plurality of strands are spaced circumferentially about the elongated structure and are configured to cooperate with each other to form a plurality of clot entry openings within the clot capturing area, wherein the clot capturing area includes at least two strand configurations or at least two braiding configurations at the plurality of loosely coupled junctions, each junction of the plurality of loosely coupled junctions including a weaving of a first strand and a second strand such that a first wire of the first strand is situated between two wires of the second strand and a second wire of the second strand is situated between two wires of the first strand, and wherein the plurality of strands within the clot capturing area includes a twist of wires before and after each plurality of loosely coupled junctions; and 
 at least one grouping of woven wires longitudinally located adjacent to the clot capturing area, 
 wherein the at least one grouping of woven wires is configured such that when an opening force is exerted on the elongated structure, the at least one grouping of woven wires provides structural support to hold open first interstices between the plurality of strands, and 
 wherein in response to the opening force, second interstices are formed between wires in the at least one grouping of woven wires, the first interstices between the strands being larger than the second interstices between the wires in the at least one grouping of woven wires. 
 
     
     
       2. The intraluminal device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one grouping of woven wires includes at least two groupings of woven wires, each grouping of woven wires being spaced longitudinally from each other on opposite sides of the clot capturing area containing the plurality of strands, 
 wherein the at least two groupings of woven wires are configured to cooperate with each other such that when the opening force is exerted on the elongated structure, the at least two groupings of woven wires provide structural support to hold open the first interstices between the plurality of strands, and 
 wherein in response to the opening force, the second interstices are formed between wires in each of the at least two groupings of woven wires, the first interstices between the strands being larger than the second interstices between the wires in the at least two groupings of woven wires. 
 
     
     
       3. The intraluminal device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elongated structure is formed of at least twelve wires, and 
 wherein the at least twelve wires form the plurality of strands and the at least one grouping of woven wires. 
 
     
     
       4. The intraluminal device of  claim 3 , wherein the at least twelve wires are arranged in six pairs of strands within the clot capturing area and collectively form the at least one grouping of woven wires. 
     
     
       5. The intraluminal device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one wire of the plurality of wires has a diameter of between about 75 microns and about 80 microns. 
     
     
       6. The intraluminal device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elongated structure is formed of at least ten wires, 
 wherein the at least ten wires form the plurality of strands and the at least one grouping of woven wires, and 
 wherein at least one wire of the at least ten wires has a diameter of about 70 microns. 
 
     
     
       7. The intraluminal device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the elongated structure is formed of at least eight wires, 
 wherein the at least eight wires form the plurality of strands and the at least one grouping of woven wires, and 
 wherein at least one wire of the at least eight wires has a diameter of about 70 microns.